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Darwin. The best things to do in Darwin in the Northern Territory, Australia

Leanne McCabe

Darwin is located in the Northern Territory in far north Australia, and it's known for its tropical climate, rich Indigenous culture, Darwin harbour, crocodiles and extensive, unique national parks.  It has a population of nearly 150,000 people.

One of the best places to start your visit is at the Darwin Waterfront, just like we did. It's a beautiful area with a large swimming lagoon, playgrounds, and plenty of restaurants and bars to choose from. We found a great one called The Oyster Bar, and besides the amazing Coffin Bay Oysters, they had my favourite wine – Shaw & Smith, Sauvignon Blanc from Adelaide Hills.  After you have had something to eat at one of the restaurants you can take a stroll along the boardwalk, which offers great views of the Darwin Harbour and Stokes Hill Wharf.

If you're looking for one of the best ways to see Kakadu National Park (which is more than half the size of Switzerland), then we would highly recommend taking a day trip with Air Kakadu. This company offers scenic flights over the stunning landscape of Kakadu National Park, which is a UNESCO World Heritage site.  The views are outstanding.  You will see rock formations, rivers winding through the dense vegetation and creeks full of crocodiles.

We felt like we were in a Crocodile Dundee Movie, landing on a dirt airstrip in the outback. Once again we found my favourite wine at the Barra Bar & Bistro in the middle of Kakadu. 

After lunch at the Bar and Bistro, you'll also get to take a Yellow Water billabong cruise, which was one of our favourite parts of the tour. The Yellow Water billabong is home to a diverse range of wildlife, including heaps of birds like Brolgas and the cute “Jesus” bird and of course, a few crocodiles. It's a great way to see the park from a different perspective and the Indigenous guide shares some wonderful and interesting information all about Kakadu National Park.

Back in Darwin one of the popular things to do is check out the Mindil Markets. These markets are held on Thursdays and Sundays during the dry season and they're a great place to find local crafts, souvenirs, and delicious food. One of the main reasons locals and tourists gather at the markets is to watch the stunning sunsets.

If you want another place to eat and watch the sun go down over Darwin Harbour, we would definitely recommend Pee Wee restaurant in the suburb of Fanny Bay.

We also watched some amazing sunsets over Darwin Harbour at the Darwin ski club, where we saw a Jimmy Barnes concert.  This was the reason we went to Darwin and so glad we did.  The concert was amazing and once again they had my favourite wine.

The Darwin Sailing Club has a lovely outdoor area for meals and you can really enjoy the sunset and harbour.

One of my favourite things to do (not sure Lyle would agree) was taking a day trip to the jumping crocodile tour on Adelaide River and Litchfield National Park. 

You start your day on a boat trip on the Adelaide River which is full of crocodiles including Brutus and Dominator – two 6 metres crocodiles.  I wrote a blog post all about the crocodile tour here.

You watch these massive creatures jump out of the water to eat the chicken carcases.  Pretty awesome and scary at the same time.  The safety talk was DON’T PUT ANYTHING OVER THE SIDE OF THE BOAT.

Next stop is a bit safer, but just as fascinating – the giant termite mounds. I never knew termites could be so interesting.  You can read more about them here.

Next, it’s on to three waterfalls and waterholes in Litchfield National Park. First is Wangi Falls, where you will have a substantial and delicious lunch and quick dip under the waterfall. Next stop is Florence Falls with a breathtaking view and lastly another swimming stop at Buley Rock Pools. 

We would definitely recommend a visit to Darwin.  It is certainly a very unique Australian experience and thanks to Jimmy Barnes we enjoyed a week exploring the area.

Here's a list of all the places and companies I've mentioned in this post:

 You can listen to the full podcast episode by clicking on the play button below.

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